Handy barrow



Dec. lO, 1968 s. wlECzoREK 3,415,534

HANDY BARaow Filed April 21. 1967 United States Patent O 3,415,534 HANDYBARROW Stanley Wieczorek, 5012 N. 64th Ave., Glendale, Ariz. 85301 FiledApr. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 632,799 1 Claim. (Cl. 28B-47.26)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A light wheel barrow including a body formedfrom a blank of sheet material and provided with a reinforcing ange, awheel axle adjustable toward the front and rear or" the vehicle body,and an adjustable handle member.

The present invention, while relating to hand operated push and/ or pullvehicles in general, has more particular reference to a relativelylightweight, easily manipulated two-wheel barrow intended primarily foruse to mix small amounts of mort-ar, cement or plaster in homegardening, lawn care and otherwise as a general utility conveyor forfamily and neighborhood use.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a wheelbarrow of ythe character and for the purposes set forth as distinguishedfrom and more readily handled than the ywell-known rugged type of wheelbarrow employed in ground excavation, building construction and likeheavy work.

A further object of the invention is to provide what I term ahandy-barrow or cart in which the material container or body member isintegrally formed by punch press or otherwise cut from a sheet of thin,preferably 18 gauge, sheet steel.

And, a still further object ofthe invention is to provide a wheelbarrowof but few parts, inexpensive to manufacture, rigid and durable inconstruction and having novel adjustable features as will be described.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma consideration of the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactoryembodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the punch-pressed or otherwise cut blankwhich forms the body of the vehicle, dash lines indicating the linesalong which the blank is to be folded.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional detail taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2. And,FIGURE 5 is a sectional detail on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

In the drawing like numerals refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The blank, indicated generally by numeral 6, FIGURE 1, is stamped orotherwise cut from a sheet of relatively thin metal, preferably steel,and when folded 'along the dash lines in the manner now to be `describedwill constitute the body or material carrying container of the Vehicle.

This blank 6 includes similar side portions 7 and 7' which, when foldedalong the lines 8 and 81, respectively, form. the side walls of the body6. The longitudinally extended rectangular center portion 9 of the blankforms the bottom and, respectively, front and rear upwardly 3,415,534Patented. Dec. 10, 1968 ICC curved end walls 10 and 11. It will beobserved that the diverging end edges of the side portions 7 and 7 arecurved to coincide with the full line extensions of lines 8 and 8l whenthe end portions 10 and 11 are rounded.

The longitudinal edges of the sides 7 and 7 and those of the endportions 10 and 11 are parallel and, when the blank is folded, thecurved. edges of the sides 7 and 7 engage the side edges of end portions10 and 11 in overlapping relation which permits them to be integrallyjoined by spot welding or other means as rivets.

Parallel with the horizontal edges of the sides 7 and 7 are two foldlines 12 and 13 and in like relation to the transverse end edges of theblank portions 10 and 11 are fold lines 14 and 15.

In forming the vehicle body, the parts 7 and 7', 10 and 11, are firstdoubled upon themselves by a 180 fold along the lines 12 and 14. Then,along a median plane indicated by the lines 13 and 15, these two-plyportions, see FIGURE 4, are turned outward thus forming a two-ply rightangle reinforcing flange 16 around the perimeter of the vehicle body.Angle plates 17 welded to the under surface of this llange 16 provide anadditional strengthening of the ange 1'6 at its corners.

To the bottom 9 of the vehicle body along its side edges, and securedthereto by screws 19 are elongated pieces 20, preferably of hard wood,which provide a mounting for the transversely extending axle 21. Thesemembers 20 have a plurality of longitudinally spaced axle receivingopenings 22 corresponding ones of which are axially aligned and thusprovide means whereby the position of the axle 21, forward or back withrespect to the vehicle body, may be changed to suit the operator. Sidewheels 18 support the vehicle, lthese wheels preferably having rubbertires and ball bearings, the latter, not shown, being carried on theprotruding ends of the axle 21.

A handle for pushing and/or pulling the wheelbarrow straddles the rearend of the material carrying container or body. In the illustratedembodiment of the invention this handle is U-sh-aped and constructed oftubular electrical conduit. The connecting intermediate portion of thehandle provides a hand-grip 23 while the side arms 24, angularlydisposed, are secured for longitudinal adjustment in bearing blocks 25attached as shown by bolts 26 to the side walls 7 and 7 of the barrow.

It is believed that from the foregoing the objectives and constructionof the invention have been made suftciently clear as to call for nofurther explanation.

What I claim is;

1. In a wheel barrow, a sheet metal blank comprising an elongatedrectangular center portion and a pair of like side portions havingcurved end edges diverging from said center portion with thelongitudinal edges of the side portions and those of the center portionbeing parallel, the said blank being folded to form a rectangular opentop container consisting of a horizontal bottom, vertically extendingparallel side Walls and rounded end walls, the curvature of the endWalls and corresponding curved end edges of the side Walls engaging inoverlapping relation, the resultant top edges of said end portions andthose of said side walls being lirst doubled upon themselves to form twoply vertical marginal portions, the said marginal portions then beingfolded along a median plane to form an outwardly turned two ply marginalflange surrounding the said container, said wheel barrow including atransversely extending axle, means on the bottom of said container forsupporting said axle, a pair of wheels rotata-ble on said axle inproximity to the sides of the container, a U-shaped handle includingrearwardly extending, upwardly inclined side arms and a hand gripconnecting portion, and means rigidly attached to the sides of saidcontainer in which the free ends of said side arms are secured, saidaxle supporting means comprising elongated blocks of wood having aplurality of axle receiving openings whereby the axle is 4adjustableforward or toward the back of said container, the said handle beingtubular, and the said means in which the handle side arms are securedbeing angularly disposed blocks permitting longitudinal adjustment ofthe said side arms.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 8/1960 France.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

15 JOHN A. PEKAR, Assistant Examiner.

